The Solowheel electric unicycle from Inventist has a top
speed of 12mph, a range of 12 miles on one charge and to move
off, a user puts both feet on the platforms on either side of
the wheel housing and leans forward
The fat wheeled
eniCycle, the stylish and graceful
U3 from Honda or the slightly scary prospect of the
UnoMoto have all shared more in common than being
one-wheeled, self-balancing personal transport solutions.
They've all had somewhere for the user to sit. Inventist's
Solowheel is a little different – you ride this electric
unicycle standing upright, like a Segway or skateboard. It has a
useful carry handle and fold-away foot platforms, is
gyro-stabilized and the Li-ion batteries offer a range of about
12 miles between charges.
For those who work in the city but don't actually live there,
leaving the car at home and getting to the office by train, tram
or bus is becoming a more attractive prospect. For those who
don't relish the sometimes long walk from the station or
terminus to the workplace, there are now numerous electric
personal, short haul transport solutions – from the Segway to
the
YikeBike or even the
FlyRad – to take some of the strain away.
Weighing 25 pounds (11 kg), sporting folding leg platforms on
each side and a carry handle on top, the 17 x 19 x 5-inch (43 x
48 x 13 cm) Solowheel from Inventist is sure to turn some heads
as you trundle along at up to 12mph. The durable external
housing hides a Li-ion battery that's said to be good for two
hours of use between charges and a 1000-Watt electric motor, and
a self-balancing gyro system. Its battery is reported to take 45
minutes to charge but a regenerative system returns energy to
the battery when the rider slows down or the unit goes downhill,
which could help extend the range.
The electric unicycle's creators say that it's easy to use
and quick to learn, the feet are quite close to the ground and
the legs rest against each side of the housing which help with
balance and steering. With both feet on the vehicle, you just
lean forward to start going. When you want to slow down or stop,
you lean back. You use the legs to steer, much as you would on
the
Magic Wheel.
Jinalyn Liljedahl from Inventist told Gizmag that he expects
the
Solowheel to be available from April at a cost of US$1495.
Each unit will be shipped with an instructional DVD and charger.
I can see the Solowheel being a useful, fun and quite
affordable way to trundle from the railway station into work and
back again. Have a look at the following demonstration video and
see what you think: